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Macron awards grants for project inspired by U.S. withdrawal from climate pact

By Danielle Haynes
French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday announced the 18 recipients of his Make Our Planet Great Again climate change grants. Photo by Philippe Wojazer/EPA-EFE
French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday announced the 18 recipients of his Make Our Planet Great Again climate change grants. Photo by Philippe Wojazer/EPA-EFE

Dec. 11 (UPI) -- French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday awarded grants to 18 scientists -- 13 from the United States -- for a climate change research project he launched in reaction to the United States withdrawing from the Paris Agreement.

Macron announced the recipients of the Make Our Planet Great Again grants the day before the start of the One Planet Summit in Paris. The grants are for $1.15 million to $1.77 million and require the recipients to move to France for at least three years to conduct research.

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Macron launched the initiative June 1, the same day President Donald Trump announced his intention to withdraw from the climate change pact.

"To all scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, responsible citizens who were disappointed by the decision by the president of the United States, I want to say, that they will find in France a second homeland," Macron said. "I call on them: Come, and work here with us. [Come] to work here on concrete solutions for our climate, our environment. I can assure you, France will not give up the fight."

Among the grant recipients were Venkatramani Balaji from Princeton University in New Jersey, Nuria Teixido from Stanford University in California and Louis Derry from Cornell University in New York.

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Of the 1,822 application submitted, 1,123 came from the United States. More grant recipients are expected to be announced in spring 2018, for a total of 50 research grants.

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